WSJ: The War on Sugar Hits the Juice Box
The War on Sugar Hits the Juice Box by Anne Marie Chaker, Wall Street Journal, August 18, 2019
As more public health messages emerge about the risks of added sugar to the diet, parents are taking a hard look at their children’s juice boxes. New beverages are stepping in to offer kid-friendly flavored waters with low or no sugar as an alternative. But, will kids make the switch?
“Everywhere we look, the parents of children are getting messages about reducing their own sugar,” says Kara Nielsen, of CCD Innovation. Trends in grown-up beverages such as flavored sparkling water and unsweetened coffees and teas reflect this.
The worry remains that kids will get hooked on the sweet taste of sugary drinks and just demand more. Parents can try to get out ahead of this from the start by rarely giving their children juice. In fact, in 2017, the American Academy of Pediatrics expanded its warning on juice, saying it shouldn’t be served to children under 1 year of age, and limited amounts for older children.
There are more options for flavored water beverages to step in, including Hint Kids fruit-infused waters; Juicy Juice Juicy Waters; Cool Waters from Apple & Eve; and Rethink Juice Splash.